KONVENT, an all female Death / Doom band from Denmark have been creating quite abit of a buzz on the scene in recent times, and the cause of that buzz is this, their debut full length album “Puritan Masochism”. One listen to this album confirms just why these ladies are getting such a great response from across the world. From the onset thick as tar riffs ooze from the speakers in slow motion, dripping with pure Doom, flowing like a sonic river of Sludge, but there is a good amount of morose melody injected into these compositions too and theres a certain hypnotic quality to the songs with the song structures slowly coiling around your consciousness as you are entranced by these sirens of sombreness. The production is nice and earthy but also powerful and crisp, giving each instrument enough space to breath in the suffocating slow moving misery, guaranteed to have your speakers shaking if the volume is turned up enough, and that is recommended to feel the full effect of this album. The vocals of Rikke are impressively deep and are some of the best female Death growls I have heard in years, there is so much depth to her voice and bring to mind those old school growls in MYTHIC and ACROSTICHON, her vocal attack is just as commanding and she puts in a powerful potent performance. This is not reinventing the musical wheel but yet it also feels refreshing and they deliver their deathly dirges with so much conviction and passion it is easy to hear why they have caught the attention of so many disciples of Doom. Also having a good knack for writing slow songs with plenty of hooks is not easy but KONVENT have the fine art of memorable songwriting nailed and their songs will draw you into their aural abyss. A great gloomy viscous debut which will drag you into the depths of sonic sadness. File alongside ASPHYX, MYTHIC, ACROSTICHON, DERKETA and the like. www.facebook.com/konventband, www.napalmrecords.com